Comtoyou Racing Triumphs in GT World Challenge Europe Season Opener
Circuit Paul Ricard, France – Comtoyou Racing secured an impressive victory in the GT World Challenge Europe Endurance Cup opener, held on Saturday night, with Nicki Thiim leading a remarkable charge to the finish in the #7 Aston Martin Vantage AMR GT3 Evo. The team, which included Marco Sorensen and Mattia Drudi, outperformed the initially dominant Winward Racing #48 Mercedes-AMG, driven by Lucas Auer.
Starting from pole position, Auer and the #48 Mercedes-AMG maintained control for the majority of the race. However, a late-race Safety Car, triggered with less than an hour remaining, erased a significant 15-second lead and set the stage for a competitive 25-minute sprint to the finish.
Thiim, initially stuck behind six lapped cars, quickly showcased his pace once clear. Setting the fastest lap, he closed the gap to Auer down to within a second in the final minutes. Auer’s misstep at Signes allowed Thiim to take the lead with just eight minutes remaining. Despite a late push from Auer, Thiim held on to win by a narrow margin of 0.806 seconds.
This victory marks Aston Martin’s first in the GT World Challenge Europe since Thiim, Sorensen, and Drudi triumphed at the 2024 24 Hours of Spa. Auer, along with co-drivers Maro Engel and Luca Stolz, finished second. The podium was rounded out by the Gold Cup winner, the #58 Garage 59 McLaren GT3 Evo, driven by Benjamin Goethe, Louis Prette, and Tom Fleming.
In fourth place was the #32 Team WRT BMW M4 GT3 Evo, while the #59 Garage 59 McLaren secured fifth after recovering from an early spin involving Dean MacDonald.
The race saw struggles for the Lamborghini Temerario GT3, with both entries facing issues; the #63 TGI Team by GRT entry finished 39th after a puncture, while the #96 Rutronik Racing car retired after multiple stoppages.
The #9 Pure Rxcing Porsche, co-driven by Alex Malykhin, Max Hofer, and Alexey Nesov, took Silver Cup honours following a late pass on the #30 Team WRT BMW. The #21 Comtoyou Racing Aston Martin completed the Silver Cup podium.
In the Bronze Cup, the #97 Rutronik Racing Porsche emerged dominant, with Antares Au, Loek Hartog, and Ricardo Pera finishing over a minute clear of the field before the late-race safety car. The #87 Winward Racing Mercedes-AMG and the #991 Paradine Competition BMW secured second and third, respectively.
Race Results Summary:
- Overall Winner: #7 Comtoyou Racing Aston Martin Vantage AMR GT3 Evo
- Second Place: #48 Winward Racing Mercedes-AMG GT3 EVO
- Third Place: #58 Garage 59 McLaren GT3 Evo
- Silver Cup Winner: #9 Pure Rxcing Porsche
- Bronze Cup Winner: #97 Rutronik Racing Porsche
Significant insights from the race point to the unpredictability of endurance racing, marked by the profound impact of strategic maneuvers and timely decisions under pressure.
Further updates to follow.
